The present disclosure relates generally to warning systems for aiding a pilot when approaching a surface for landing.
Landing aircraft on unimproved, sloped, or moving terrain requires experienced piloting skill. For example, fixed wing aircraft often land on grass runways that may be sloped. Similarly, rotary wing aircraft often attempt to land on landing surfaces that may be sloped and/or moving. For example, helicopters often land on sea-bearing vessels, such as ships and aircraft carriers. The slope of the landing surface may exceed allowable vehicular limits, thereby preventing landing. For example, an excessively sloped or uneven landing surface may cause the aircraft to become unbalanced after landing, which may result in the aircraft overturning. Additionally, the slope of the landing surface may be difficult to discern from the vantage point or viewing position of the cockpit. For example, environmental conditions, such as weather, may impair visibility of the landing surface such that a pilot is not able to properly view the slope of the landing surface to determine whether the surface is suitable for landing.
Conventional systems are known for providing warnings to pilots with respect to different flight conditions. However, these known systems may not perform satisfactorily to aid a pilot when landing aircraft on unimproved, sloped, or moving surface or terrain. Additionally, these known systems do not provide advance warning or avoidance assistance of exceedingly sloped terrain before a pilot attempts to land on the terrain. These known systems also do not provide an indication to the pilot to avoid landing on the sloped terrain.